METHOD AND APPARATUS TO REDUCE DATA LOST ON PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100225451A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gladstone, Philip J. S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.500
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing security for mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining responsibility for a first item when the first item is in a first range of a first container. Maintaining responsibility for the first item includes monitoring a locator tag associated with the first item when the locator tag is within the first range. The method also includes determining when the first item is in the first range, determining if the first item is in a second range associated with a second container when the first item is not in the first range, and determining if the second container is trusted with respect to the first container if the first item is in the second range. Additionally, the method includes transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container if the second container is trusted with respect to the first container.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining responsibility for a first item when the first item is in a first range of a first container, the first item having a locator tag, wherein maintaining responsibility for the first item includes monitoring the locator tag when the locator tag is within the first range;

determining when the first item is in the first range;

determining if the first item is in a second range associated with a second container when it is determined that the first item is not in the first range;

determining if the second container is trusted with respect to the first container if it is determined that the first item is in the second range associated with the second container; and

transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container if it is determined that the second container is trusted with respect to the first container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container includes transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container from the first container.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container from the first container includes:

providing a private key to the second container, the private key being arranged to identify the first item; and

logging an indication that responsibility for the first item is transferred to the second container.

4. The method of claim 3 further including obtaining an indication that responsibility for the first item is accepted by the second container.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein providing the private key to the second container includes sending the private key from the first container to the second container.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein if it is determined that the first item is not in the first range, the method further includes automatically generating a notification which is arranged to indicate that the first item is not in the first range.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first range is defined by edges associated with the first container and the second range is defined by edges associated with the second container.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the locator tag is an RFID tag.

9. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

maintain responsibility for a first item when the first item is in a first range of a first container, the first item having a locator tag, wherein the logic operable to maintain responsibility for the first item includes logic operable to monitor the locator tag when the locator tag is within the first range;

determine when the first item is in the first range;

determine if the first item is in a second range associated with a second container when it is determined that the first item is not in the first range;

determine if the second container is trusted with respect to the first container if it is determined that the first item is in the second range associated with the second container; and

transfer responsibility for the first item to the second container if it is determined that the second container is trusted with respect to the first container.

10. The logic of claim 9 wherein the logic operable to transfer responsibility for the first item to the second container includes logic operable to transfer responsibility for the first item to the second container from the first container.

11. The logic of claim 10 wherein the logic operable to transfer responsibility for the first item to the second container from the first container is further operable to:

provide a private key to the second container, the private key being arranged to identify the first item; and

log an indication that responsibility for the first item is transferred to the second container.

12. The logic of claim 11 further operable to obtain an indication that responsibility for the first item is accepted by the second container.

13. The logic of claim 11 wherein the logic operable to provide the private key to the second container is further operable to send the private key from the first container to the second container.

14. The logic of claim 9 wherein the logic is further operable to automatically generate a notification which is arranged to indicate that the first item is not in the first range if it is determined that the first item is not in the first range.

15. The logic of claim 9 wherein the first range is defined by boundaries associated with the first container and the second range is defined by boundaries associated with the second container.

16. The logic of claim 9 wherein the locator tag is an RFID tag.

17. An apparatus comprising:

means for maintaining responsibility for a first item when the first item is in a first range of a first container, the first item having a locator tag, wherein the means for maintaining responsibility for the first item include means for monitoring the locator tag when the locator tag is within the first range;

means for determining when the first item is in the first range;

means for determining if the first item is in a second range associated with a second container when it is determined that the first item is not in the first range;

means for determining if the second container is trusted with respect to the first container if it is determined that the first item is in the second range associated with the second container; and

means for transferring responsibility for the first item to the second container if it is determined that the second container is trusted with respect to the first container.

18. A method comprising:

ascertaining that a first item is not present within a first range monitored by a first container arrangement, wherein the first container arrangement has a responsibility for monitoring the first item when the first item is present within the first range;

transmitting a message intended to locate a second container arrangement associated with a second range, wherein the first item is present within the second range;

determining if an indication is received from the second container arrangement in response to the message, the indication being arranged to indicate that the first item is present within the second range; and

handing off the responsibility for monitoring the first item to the second container arrangement if the indication is received.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein handing off the responsibility for monitoring the first item to the second container arrangement includes providing a key to the second container arrangement and logging the first item with respect to the first container arrangement as not being monitored by the first container arrangement.

20. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

ascertain that a first item is not present within a first range monitored by a first container arrangement, wherein the first container arrangement has a responsibility for monitoring the first item when the first item is present within the first range;

transmit a message intended to locate a second container arrangement associated with a second range, wherein the first item is present within the second range;

determine if an indication is received from the second container arrangement in response to the message, the indication being arranged to indicate that the first item is present within the second range; and

hand off the responsibility for monitoring the first item to the second container arrangement if the indication is received.

21. The logic of claim 20 wherein the logic operable to hand off the responsibility for monitoring the first item to the second container arrangement is further operable to provide a key to the second container arrangement and logging the first item with respect to the first container arrangement as not being monitored by the first container arrangement.